Up to date, there has been a lot of research on fatty acid analogues and their effects on diverse physiological processes impacting normal health and chronic diseases.
For example, dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) have been shown to regulate plasma lipid levels, cardiovascular and immune functions, insulin action, and neuronal development and visual function.
Tetradecylthioacetic acid (TTA) is a modified fatty acid which has a number of powerful effects demonstrable both in vivo and in vitro on living organisms.
TTA has properties very similar to natural fatty acids, the main difference being that it cannot be oxidised by the mitochondrial β-oxidation, but significantly increases the oxidation of other fatty acids. Despite the fact that TTA is not able to undergo β-oxidation, it is metabolised in most ways as a normal saturated fatty acid.

TTA affects antioxidant status at different levels by having the potential of changing the antioxidant defense system in addition to being an antioxidant itself through its free radical scavenging capacity.
Addition of TTA may prevent the oxidative modification of LDL particles in plasma and reduce the generation of lipid peroxides.